João Pinto facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
João Pinto

Pinto in 2013
Personal information
Full name	João Manuel Vieira Pinto
Date of birth	(1971-08-19) 19 August 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth	Porto, Portugal
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
	Bairro do Falcão
1982–1983	Águias da Areosa
1983–1988	Boavista
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1988–1989	Boavista	17	(3)
1990–1991	Atlético Madrileño	30	(9)
1991–1992	Boavista	34	(8)
1992–2000	Benfica	220	(64)
2000–2004	Sporting CP	115	(28)
2004–2006	Boavista	57	(11)
2006–2008	Braga	33	(3)
Total		506	(126)
International career
1987–1988	Portugal U16	15	(5)
1988–1989	Portugal U18	22	(11)
1989–1991	Portugal U20	18	(3)
1991–1994	Portugal U21	15	(3)
1991–2002	Portugal	81	(23)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA European Championship Bronze 2000 Belgium-Netherlands FIFA U-20 World Cup Winner 1991 Portugal Winner 1989 Saudi Arabia UEFA European Under-21 Championship 1994 France UEFA European Under-17 Championship 1988 Spain
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

João Manuel Vieira Pinto (born 19 August 1971) is a retired Portuguese footballer. He mostly played as a forward.

João Pinto was known for his amazing skills. He could create goals and score them too. He became famous playing for clubs in Portugal. He was also a very important player for the Portuguese national team. He was part of the "Golden Generation" of Portuguese football.

He played 151 games for Portugal at all levels, scoring 45 goals. For the senior team alone, he played 81 games and scored 23 goals. He represented his country in the 2002 World Cup and two European Championships.

At the club level, Pinto started his career with Boavista. He is best known for playing with two of Portugal's biggest clubs: Benfica and Sporting CP. He won one Primeira Liga title with each club. Overall, he won six major titles. In 19 seasons in the top league, he played 476 matches and scored 117 goals.

João Pinto's Football Journey

João Pinto started playing football in his hometown of Porto. He joined the Boavista F.C. academy when he was 12. Even at a young age, he was very fast and great at controlling the ball.

He was a bright star in Portugal's youth teams. He helped Portugal win the FIFA U-20 World Cup twice. This is a big achievement, as only a few players have won this competition twice. He made his debut in Portugal's top league at just 17 years old.

Early Career and First Trophies

After his great performance in the youth World Cup, Pinto moved to Atlético Madrid in 1990. He played for their reserve team. After one season, he returned to Boavista. He played in every match and scored eight goals. He also helped Boavista win the Taça de Portugal, a major cup competition. Soon after, he joined S.L. Benfica.

While at Benfica, João Pinto faced a health challenge in 1992. He had a collapsed lung during a game for Portugal. He recovered and continued his career. The next season, he played some of his best football. He scored three goals in a famous game against Sporting CP, helping Benfica win 6–3. This win was key to Benfica winning the 1994 national championship.

The Golden Boy and Sporting CP

João Pinto was nicknamed "The Golden Boy." He became the team captain for Benfica in 1995. However, the team did not win another national title during his time as captain.

Before the UEFA Euro 2000 tournament, he left Benfica. He was a free agent during the competition. He helped the national team reach the semi-finals. He scored eight goals during the qualifying games. In the tournament, he scored a header against England in a 3–2 comeback win. He also played in the Euro 1996 tournament.

After Euro 2000, Pinto signed a four-year deal with Sporting CP. After a quiet first season, Sporting signed Mário Jardel, a top goal scorer. Pinto then returned to his best form. He helped Sporting win his second league title in the 2001–02 season. Jardel even called him the "father of the team."

Challenges and Retirement

While very talented, João Pinto also had some tough moments on the field. He was sometimes involved in arguments with other players. He had a long-standing rivalry with Porto player Paulinho Santos.

A difficult moment happened during the 2002 World Cup. He was sent off in a game against South Korea. He was later suspended for six months because of this incident.

After the World Cup incident, Pinto's performance was not the same. Sporting did not finish in the top two spots in the league. In 2004, he left Sporting and returned to Boavista. He had a strong second season with Boavista, scoring nine league goals.

In 2006, Pinto joined S.C. Braga. He played two seasons there before retiring in 2008 at age 36. After retiring, João Pinto started working with the Portuguese Football Federation. He took on leadership roles.

Personal Life

Pinto in 2011

João Pinto had two children from his first marriage. His older son, Tiago, also became a professional footballer. In 2008, João Pinto married television presenter Marisa Cruz. They divorced five years later.

João Pinto's younger brother, Sérgio, also played football. He mostly played in lower leagues in Portugal.

Achievements and Awards

João Pinto won many titles and awards during his career.

Boavista

• Taça de Portugal: 1991–92

Benfica

• Primeira Liga: 1993–94
• Taça de Portugal: 1992–93, 1995–96

Sporting CP

• Primeira Liga: 2001–02
• Taça de Portugal: 2001–02
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2000

Portugal National Team

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1989, 1991 (Winner)
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 1994
• UEFA European Under-18 Championship runner-up: 1988, 1990
• UEFA European Under-16 Championship runner-up: 1988

Individual Awards

• CNID Footballer of the Year: 1992, 1993, 1994
• Portuguese Golden Ball: 1993, 1996
• SJPF Player of the Month: February 2006

See also

In Spanish: João Pinto para niños

• List of association football families